Ethan BrownEveryone who knows me knows two things: I’m terrible at sharing food, and I once tried eating an entire cake by myself just to see what happens. Spoiler alert: it wasn’t my brightest idea—but no regrets, because cake is life!
Whether it’s a rich chocolate slice or a fruity masterpiece that screams #fancy, I firmly believe the right cake can fix anything…even bad decisions involving cake. If you’re as obsessed as I am (and hopefully better at portion control), you’re in for a treat.
I’m here to share with you the cake shops in Ottawa that have always been my go-tos! These aren’t just any ordinary bakeries; they’re the BEST in town, double-checked, and full of deliciousness. Now, fork up—let’s dive in!
The Cake Shop
– Media credit: thecakeshopottawa
Address: 1200 Wellington St. W.
Contact details: +1 613 721 9062
Operating hours:
- Monday to Saturday – 9 AM to 4 PM
Cost: £££
One spot in Ottawa celebrated for its allergy-friendly cakes is The Cake Shop—100% nut-free is what they offer here. Daily cakes are available for walk-in customers, with flavours like strawberry shortcake, rainbow cake, and red velvet.
Their ice cream cakes are must-tries, especially the best-selling caramel blonde and giant cookie ice cream cake. They’re also well-known for their gourmet cupcakes, cookies, and pies—and all are nut-free!
They’re also accommodating when it comes to customisation, be it kids’ party themes, graduation, baby shower, and even religious cakes! The best part? The Cake Shop offers last-minute cakes for those moments you need something stunning ASAP.
| Pro tip: The Cake Shop is strictly a take-out spot, so you won’t be sitting down for a slice. They also require a credit card for all orders to ensure your reservation. |
ThimbleCakes
– Media credit: thimblecakes
Address: 369 Bank St.
Contact details: +1 613 695 0109
Operating hours:
- Tuesday to Saturday – 10 AM to 7 PM
- Sunday – 11 AM to 5 PM
Cost: ££
ThimbleCakes is renowned for its inclusive menu offering nut-free, gluten-free, vegan, and soy-free cakes. They also prioritise sustainability by using recycled materials and environmentally safe cleaners.
Now, onto the good stuff: a couple of their popular cakes are the Birthday Cake Shorty, smash cakes, and the Mini Rose Cake (this is gluten-free!). The menu does change occasionally, keeping things fresh and exciting.
Customisation is a thing here, whether you need a photo frost cake for a big event or a slab cake for a gathering. Furthermore, they offer the photofrost options for almost every size, accommodating parties from 12 to 100+ people.
| Pro tip: One key detail is that they do not work with fondant, so their cake designs lean more toward soft, natural finishes rather than sculpted decorations. |
Quelque Chose
– Media credit: macaronscanada
Address: 379 Richmond Rd.
Contact details: +1 613 728 4562
Operating hours:
- Tuesday to Friday – 9 AM to 5 PM
- Saturday and Sunday – 10 AM to 5 PM
Cost: £££
Quelque Chose is a delightful spot known for its jaw-dropping macaron cakes and French-inspired creations. The setup is take-out-focused, perfect for grabbing your treats to enjoy at home or wherever your festivities take you.
Their macarons find their way into cake masterpieces like the six-layer chocolate cake, rose, raspberry & lychee, and pavlova cake. Their pistachio & berries macaron cake will impress even the most critical dessert lover!
Their cakes can be ordered directly, and the menu doesn’t rotate often, so you can always rely on them for your favourites. It’s also notable that they’re great for customized cakes for big events like weddings—their catering services have got you covered!
| Pro tip: Quelque Chose offers a macaron-making kit, perfect for trying your hand at making this iconic pastry at home—provided you have an oven! |
Strawberry Blonde Bakery
– Media credit: blondebaking
Address: 111 Richmond Rd.
Contact details: +1 613 725 2253
Operating hours:
- Tuesday to Thursday – 9 AM to 6 PM
- Friday and Saturday – 8 AM to 6 PM
- Sunday – 9 AM to 5 PM
Cost: ££
Strawberry Blonde Bakery is well-loved for its amazing commitment to catering to alternative diets and food allergies without compromising taste and aesthetics. Every single item on their menu is vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, and kosher.
They offer a mouth-watering variety of cakes and cupcakes here. You have to try their signature items like the Black Forest cake, cinnamon bun cake, and the classic carrot cake, which all frequently receive rave reviews!
Now beyond cakes, Strawberry Blonde also has other popular items like pies, tarts, cookies, and some seasonal items such as ice cream pints, lemon meringue tarts, and scones.
| Pro tip: If you plan on ordering custom cakes, remember to place your order at least 3 days in advance. This gives their talented bakers enough time to make sure your cake is nothing short of perfection. |
Artistic Cake Design
– Media credit: artistic_cake_design
Address: 1390 Clyde Ave. #106, Nepean
Contact details: +1 613 722 4801
Operating hours:
- Monday to Wednesday, Saturday – 9 AM to 3 PM
- Friday – 9 AM to 5 PM
Cost: ££
Artistic Cake Design offers an impressive array of general cakes, all available for next-day pick up—flavours include white heart lambeth, the gothic love, and an edible image cake. They’ve got quite the selection, from elegant pieces and custom wedding cakes to gender reveal cakes.
Beyond the cakes, Artistic Cake Design also offers cake decorating classes, perfect for anyone looking to hone their skills or try new techniques. These classes can help you take your cake decorating game to the next level!
This place also caters to bakers. They sell everything from baker’s equipment and cake toppers to specialty flavours and ingredients.
| Pro tip: Just a heads up about their custom cakes: You’ll need to order ahead, especially if you’re after their buttercream specialty cake, which takes 7 to 10 business days. |
Milo’s Pastry
– Media credit: milospastry
Address: 505 Industrial Ave.
Contact details: +1 613 567 1235
Operating hours:
- Tuesday to Saturday – 9 AM to 6 PM
- Sunday – 9 AM to 5 PM
Cost: £££
Milo’s Pastry menu fuses Arabic, French, and modern pastry influences, creating desserts that are downright irresistible. But let’s talk about cakes—there’s a wide range of options here, such as Lebanese Black Forest, Dulce de Leche, and Mille Feuille.
For something lighter and familiar, you can’t go wrong with their vanilla buttercream, butterscotch, and tiramisu. Bonus? If you have specific dietary needs, they can craft cakes and cupcakes to suit your lifestyle, all while keeping everything delicious.
They also have an equally impressive selection of pastries. You’ll find diverse options here, like fruit tarts, pecan pie, French macarons, and baklava, to name a few.
| Pro tip: If you’re placing a custom cake order, you’ll need to give them at least two weeks’ notice, and smaller regular cake orders take about two to four days. And as a convenience note, Milo’s is a take-out spot only. |
Batter Up Bakery
– Media credit: batterupbakeryca
Address: 396 Athlone Ave.
Contact details: +1 613 793 2253
Operating hours:
- Tuesday and Wednesday – 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM
- Thursday and Friday – 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM
- Saturday – 9:30 AM to 4 PM
Cost: £££
Batter Up Bakery’s cakes are the real MVP here—they cater to everything from birthdays and milestone events to weddings and corporate gatherings. Here, you get to pick your cake’s flavour, with options like carrot, red velvet, lemon zest, and cherry chip.
If that wasn’t enough, you can also choose your filling and frosting; think chocolate buttercream, caramel, lemon curd, mocha, and more.
They also make the celebration planning easier with some great extras and add-ons. You can pick up cake toppers, edible icing sheets, and 3D-printed cutters, along with cake stand rentals, to make the entire affair polished and effortless!
Beyond cakes, they’ve also got a whole lineup of other treats, from cookies to cupcakes and donuts to macarons.
| Pro tip: Batter Up Bakery also caters to those who love the world of baking by selling fun merch, like aprons, mugs, and shirts. You’ll also find baking tools in their library of products, making it easy to stock up for DIY baking. |
Three Tarts
– Media credit: threetarts.ca
Address: 464 Bank St Unit 3
Contact details: +1 613 729 9832
Operating hours:
- Wednesday to Friday – 12 PM to 7 PM
- Saturday and Sunday – 12 PM to 5 PM
Cost: £££
Three Tarts is one of those spots where you can grab a delicious treat and be out the door just as quickly, perfect for quick pick-ups. You’ll find all kinds of cakes here, from classics to unique flavour pairings.
Aidan’s chocolate cake, carrot cake, and the seasonal lemon cloud cake are must-tries. The orange almond cake gets love for its delicate balance of flavours—a bit tropical, a bit nutty.
Three Tarts doesn’t stop at cakes—they’ve got a whole arsenal of other desserts to tempt you. If you’re into tarts, their lemon tarts are a fan favourite, alongside unique options like the pecan squares, cranberry date squares, and more.
| Pro tip: Three Tarts operates on a first-come, first-served basis for walk-ins, so it’s worth going early to avoid disappointment. But don’t worry—if you happen to miss out, you can pre-order online through their website anytime before 4 PM for next-day pickup or delivery. |
Esther’s Cakes N Sweets
– Media credit: estherscakesnsweets
Address: 1335 Carling Ave.
Contact details: +1 343 558 0323
Operating hours:
- Monday, Wednesday to Friday – 8 AM to 6 PM
- Tuesday – 8 AM to 2 PM
Cost: £££
Esther’s Cakes N Sweets specialises in made-to-order creations, so you’re always guaranteed fresher-than-fresh baked goods. Her custom buttercream cakes are a big hit, available in both single- and multi-tier options, with each tier offering the option of a different flavour, filling, or frosting.
The menu here has something for everyone, from classic vanilla and chocolate to crowd-pleasers like cookies & cream, marble, Biscoff delight cake, and red velvet Oreos. Esther also has smash cakes, sugar cookies, and even dessert packages.
Plus, she offers unique wedding services. She has tiered cakes and a tasting box, which lets you sample three flavours and three fillings at home—super convenient for couples juggling busy schedules.
| Pro tip: Esther offers cake and cupcake decorating classes if you’re in the mood to get creative yourself. These classes provide everything you need, from tools to guidance, plus you get to take home your masterpiece at the end! |
Oh my Sweetness!
– Media credit: ohmysweetness1
Address: 378 Cunningham Ave.
Contact details: +1 613 277 9447
Operating hours:
- Tuesday to Friday – 9 AM to 6 PM
- Saturday – 9 AM to 5 PM
Cost: £££
Oh my Sweetness specialises in crafting statement-making cakes that are as much a work of art as they are a delicious treat. Their niche is modern designs made using unique materials like fondant, wafer paper, and even rice paper to create interesting pieces.
As for their buttercream, some crowd-favourite flavours include Belgian milk chocolate, salted caramel filling, and pistachio. For cakes and cupcakes, must-tries include red velvet, vanilla bean, carrot, and citrus delight.
Beyond their signature cakes, you’ll find cake pops, cakesicles, macarons, and cupcakes—all you need for a sweet treat!
| Pro tip: Oh my Sweetness offers variety packs, letting you sample multiple flavours in one purchase! Just like their cakes, these smaller treats are made fresh-to-order, so make sure to give them enough lead time for preparation. |
